When the World Turns Upside Down
by L345
Summary: Katniss and Gale are married. Neither Peeta nor Katniss have been reaped. But when a close friend is reaped, the whole community is shaken and things turn upside down. Is Gale a knight in shining armor, or Katniss' worst nightmare?
1. Everything Will Be Normal

**Do not fret, I am going to continue working on my other fic, "I'll Never Hurt You, Never," but for some reason I had another idea that I really wanted to work on. This may or may not work, but I can't get it out of my head. So, I figure I'll just give it a shot**

**So, in this fic, basically Katniss does not enter the Games and she and Gale get married. This is kind of my take on what their marriage would be like. Believe me, not fluffy, or even stable. I know writing them together is non-traditional, and I definitely do not by any means think that Katniss and Gale should be together, but I want to explore what this would be like a little more. Please tell me what you think and if I should continue. :) **

**Also, disclaimer- I do not own the Hunger Games or the characters in this fic. They all belong to Suzanne Collins. Also, this is rated M for a reason, mainly violence. But you have been warned.**

Chapter 1

"Everything Will Be Normal"

I sit in my kitchen…my kitchen, that sounds weird. I still can't get use to the fact that I have things that are mine now. Well, mine and Gale's. Two weeks into marriage and I am still having trouble adjusting to my new name—Katniss Hawthorne just doesn't have the same ring to it. I can't get used to waking up every morning next to Gale instead of Prim. I can't get used to having a home that is considered ours. Being married has led me to realize that the whole concept of marriage is just strange and really takes some adjusting.

I stand up and move to the window. Gale is outside chopping a few pieces of wood for the stove. It's his day off from the mines. Even that is something that's weird. I never thought that we would be a product of the Seam, but we are. Married and just trying to make it, that's my life.

I know that Gale is having trouble adjusting as well. He hasn't been himself lately, and he doesn't even realize it. I think he's afraid. He now has a family that is his. The responsibility was not passed on to him—we are a family. I definitely shoulder the responsibility just as much as he does, but I don't think he sees that. In his mind, he is the provider and if something goes wrong it's on him. I don't think that way at all. I've been trying to reassure him of that, but he doesn't seem to listen.

As a matter of fact, he never seems to listen. Our whole approach to one another is different. It's as if I'm no longer his friend. Wife Katniss has a different role, a different set of expectations than friend Katniss. He doesn't seem to see this shift in dynamic either. I'm sure that it's nothing. I'm sure that once we settle in everything will be fine. This is only an adjustment period; we just need to feel out our new situation. Then things will be back to normal.

I watch him out of the window, solemnly working. I still haven't decided if I ever loved Gale. But what is love exactly? How do I know if what I feel for Gale is love? I don't. I move back to the kitchen chair and sink into it.

I don't know if I love Gale, and I am still not sure why we got married. I never intended to marry. I knew that I could make it on my own, but I still said yes. I said that I would marry him for some reason. I thought about that for a moment. We had just watched as our friend Madge was reaped. It was awful. We all thought that she of all people was safe, but we were wrong. After she was reaped, it was like the bottom fell out and our world turned upside down. Gale and I went into the woods and we both cried. I wasn't very close to Madge, but feeling so unsafe in our world struck a chord somehow.

He held me close, and then he kissed me. He said that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life without me, he couldn't possibly. He asked me to marry him, and I said yes.

Going back to that moment, I can't figure out why that was my impulse, but I'm assuming it was out of love. Two weeks later we were married. And now, two weeks later I'm here in my kitchen with my husband outside of our home, cutting wood for our stove. I'm sure that when the weirdness rubs off things will go back to normal. They have to.

I run my fingers through my dark hair and move to the bedroom to get dressed, something I should have already done. I glance at my reflection and spot my now-fading black eye. I look for only a moment, the purple-ish, green color almost unnoticeable, only leaving the deep shades of grey to rim my left eye. I quickly look away and enter my…our bedroom. "Everything will be normal," I whisper softly into the silence. "Everything will be normal."

**Ok, so what do you think? I'm kind of excited about it. Should I continue?**


	2. Uncharted Territory

**Even with the very few reviews I have received, I can already tell that this is going to be slightly controversial. A few of you have already been pretty vocal about the fact that you think that Gale would never hit Katniss, and I agree…sort of.**

**Let me explain. I believe that Gale would never contemplate striking Katniss—he does love her after all. We all know that. But I just don't think that their personalities compliment each other enough to be married, to shoulder the burden as large as taking on the responsibilities of married life and a family. I think that Gale would feel like he had to take over everything. And in his attempt to make sure everything was taken care of, he would over-step a little, controlling little things about Katniss, things of that nature. And if things didn't go his way, then they would fight, adding to the stress and causing him to sometimes lash out at Katniss, as, in his mind, it seems to be her fault that everything isn't going as planned. I plan on making this way more complex than just, Gale is an evil wife-beater. It's not like that at all.**

**So, I will continue. The story is not going to be chronological, but I will always let the reader know what is going on. Just a little, hey, you should know this kind of thing. :)**

**Anyways, thank you so much for the reviews, all of them! I love hearing everyone's opinion, negative or positive. Compliments and criticisms are always welcome here. Now, on to chapter two! Happy reading!**

Chapter 2

"Uncharted Territory"

Three days. Only three days and I will no longer be Katniss Everdeen. I will no longer live in my home. The whole marriage thing raises so many questions for me. Will I still be me? Will changing my name change my identity? Will getting married change mine and Gale's relationship? What will it be like living in a house only with Gale? Will he be mad that I can't cook?

Everything has just gotten so confusing, but I don't want to back out. I don't want to tell him that I don't want to get married. I could never break his heart like that. I know that he loves me. I'm just nervous.

I take a deep breath, trying to reassure myself that all of these questions are just the nerves talking.

I sigh, putting on my shoes to meet Gale in the woods. My heart seems to beat a little bit faster as I think about how our visits have changed. While we may hunt most of the time, a fraction of our hunting time is spent doing…other things. Well, not _those_ things. I can't say that I feel ready for those things just yet.

After crossing underneath the fence, I find Gale sitting on a fallen log waiting for me in what we have deemed "our spot." A big smile spreads across his face and my heart jumps a little. He stands up, wrapping me in a quick hug before pulling back to plant a kiss upon my lips.

"Hello, Katnip. Didn't know if you were coming," he says as he kisses me once more.

"Well, I did think about staying home today." I laughed as he feigned sadness.

"Don't be like that. I'm here now." I smile.

"The sad thing never works with you."

"What do you mean?" I ask pulling out of his grasp a little to look at his face more clearly.

"Well, sometimes the sad thing makes girls feel all sentimental, and they kind of get into things a little more." He smiles like a little boy being caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar right before dinner.

"Gale Hawthorne, are you trying to seduce me?" I move into his chest a little more, making his heart quicken.

"Whatever works, Katnip." He leans down and begins to kiss me slowly, deepening the kiss with every chance.

I feel his tongue slide against my lips, begging for entry. He is so eager, it's almost humorous sometimes.

I open my mouth slightly, tongues moving fiercely against one another. He pushes me gently up against a tree. His hands begin to roam my body. In moments like this, I find myself getting lost, letting instinct take over. If I think about anything too much, I get so nervous that we have to stop. I kind of hate that about me.

I jump into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. He groans a little, making my insides feel as if they are melting. He balances us against the tree, placing one arm underneath my bottom, as he snakes the other hand up my shirt. He begins working it over my head, throwing it beneath us at the base of the tree. His mouth leaves my lips, making their way from my neck and chest to a place that we had never previously explored.

My chest jumped towards him, making him laugh a little. But this new form of contact made me snap out of whatever trance I was in before. The nerves began to creep throughout my body like tiny, little pine needles.

"Gale," I said, unable to contain the nervous tone in my voice. He must have mistaken it for pleasure, because he did not stop. "Gale, I-I…wait."

He stopped, looking at me with confusion. "What? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just-I…" I stopped for a moment, trying to stop quivering and catch my breath.

"Katniss, we don't have to if you don't want to, you know."

I study his face. I know that he isn't mad, but I hate making him stop every time we get somewhere new. That must be frustrating.

"Ok…I'm sorry."

"Katniss, it's ok." He places his hand on my cheek, brushing away a strand of hair that had pulled loose from my braid. "Really, it's not a big deal."

"Thank you."

He kissed me on last time and then lowered me to the ground. He reached down and handed me my shirt.

"Let's go actually hunt now," he laughed, eyes sparkling as if nothing happened.

I slipped my shirt on and nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

**Alright, so there you go. That's the first time that I have ever written anything kind of like the hunting scene. so let me know how that went. What do you all think? Let me know. :)**

**Also, what does everyone think about having chapters that are in other characters POV's? I thought that might add a little something to the fic.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. A Loaf of Bread

**Someone asked how old Katniss and Gale were right now. I would say about sixteen. I am writing around the time the first book starts, but Katniss doesn't get reaped. Hope that answers your question. :) Happy reading!**

Chapter 3

"A Loaf of Bread"

I opened my eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the natural light that spilled into our bedroom. I turned over, finding Gale still sleeping beside me. _Our sixth morning together_. _How strange is this?_

I climbed out of bed slowly, careful not to wake him. He didn't have to be at work for another two hours. I knew that he would sleep at least another forty five minutes, and I didn't want to keep him from it. His first week in the mines seemed to be killing him. I grabbed my clothes and moved into the kitchen, closing the door as quietly as I could behind me.

I dressed quickly in the kitchen, eager to get into the woods. A part of me felt like I should make something for Gale and I to eat for breakfast, but I didn't worry about it. _He can make something. He's a big boy._

I headed out, feeling excitement seeping into every pore as the sun finished making its appearance in the beautiful morning sky._ After everything that's happened over the past few days, I truly need this._

The birds were chirping, no doubt as excited about this beautiful morning as I was. I whistled a tune for them…for her. My heart sank for just a moment at the thought, but I quickly pushed it right back down. _You can't dwell on it, Katniss. Move on._

The sight of the fence made me immediately happy. I crossed under, and it was if I had crossed into my true home. _Nothing could ever amount to how I feel in this moment._

I retrieved my bow and quiver, and set off in hunt of food. It didn't take long for me to spot a squirrel. I knew that I could easily sell it, and we definitely needed the money. I pulled back my bow, took a few deep breaths, and released my arrow. It hit with perfect precision, the squirrel falling to the ground. I smiled to myself, feeling incredibly lucky to have already bagged something within the first half hour of my hunting venture. I placed the squirrel in my pouch and moved a little deeper into the woods.

I heard rustling to the left of me, so I crouched down in an attempt to spot it before it spotted me. I angled my head to the left to see past the large shrub impeding my vision. I waited but nothing happened. I picked up a rock lying at my feet and chucked it into the bush. The sound bounced off of the trees just as I had hoped. The animal assumed that the noise was behind it and ran right towards me. A large doe emerged from behind the shrub, eyes wide with fright. Luckily, she did not see me. I moved silently, positioning my body to shoot. The deer was facing me. I didn't really want to take the shot if I could help it. _If she would just turn to the right._

I waited, holding my bow perfectly still. A squirrel in a surrounding tree made a noise, causing the already alert deer to begin looking for the source. She turned her body just right, giving me the perfect shot. I released my arrow, dropping the deer instantly. Excitement rippled through my body, but then immediately came crashing down as I realized that I would have to drag the deer out by myself.

I looked around and finding some strong vines growing on one of the trees. I cut them and braided them to make them even stronger. The braided vines made the perfect makeshift harness. They fit easily around the deer's neck and shoulders, and then looped around my shoulders, making it easier to pull the deer than just with my hands. I returned my bow to its normal spot and proceeded to drag the deer out of the woods. The fence was the hardest part of the journey, but I eventually made it into the Hob. I was drenched with sweat and every muscle in my body seemed to be vibrating from exertion. Greasy Sae was indefinitely excited.

"Katniss Hawthorne, you are insane. How in the world did you drag that all the way here?"

The mention of my new name threw me off a little. I smiled. "Slowly and carefully."

"Well this is incredible. What would you like for me to do with it exactly?"

"I would like to keep some for Gale and me, but you can use whatever is leftover. I haven't cleaned her out yet, so that needs to be done as well."

"Sounds simple enough. I'm sure everyone around here is sick of eating wild dog anyways," she said with a laugh. "I'll have everything ready by tomorrow. I'll save you some of the good cuts of meat." She patted my arm and then helped me release the deer from my harness.

"I also have a squirrel that I would like to sell. We can worry about payment for the deer tomorrow."

"No problem." She handed me the normal amount for the squirrel and then we parted ways. I couldn't think of anything that we needed immediately, so I decided to get a surprise for Gale in celebration for my good luck this morning.

I walked into the bakery unable to contain my excitement. The baker's son, Peeta, was wrapping up a purchase for another customer as I made my way over to the counter of delicious baked goods. He smiled at me as I walked in, and I smiled back.

The smell of the fresh baked bread made my stomach grumble. I hadn't eaten yet, and dragging the deer all the way to The Hob required a lot of energy. I could not wait to make my purchase.

Once Peeta had finished he walked over to me, wiping his hands on his apron and wearing his usual friendly smile.

"Hello, Katniss. What can I help you with today?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what I would like to get just yet."

"I can help with that. Do you want something sweet or something a little more substantial?" He looked so at ease in the bakery. I had always seen him in school, and neither of us looked too comfortable there.

I laughed, scrunching up my nose a little. "Everything looks so delicious, and I'm absolutely starving, so that doesn't help. But I think that I should get something a little more practical than a sweet roll."

He nodded as if he understood completely. He moved to a counter behind him and picked up a towel. He unwrapped what was inside, revealing a beautiful, golden loaf of bread. My mouth instantly began to water.

"How about this? It's super fresh."

I glanced down at the small amount of change I had in my hand, not sure if I should make such a large purchase. Normally, I would just take the money home, but since I would have a larger sum coming in tomorrow from the deer, I decided it would be ok to splurge. _But is this too big of a splurge?_ _On the other hand, it's not every day that I bag a deer…_

Peeta must have known what I was mulling over. He smiled.

"Look, I'll make you a deal. I'll give it to you for half price."

My mouth dropped open before I could help it. _Is he serious? I could never do that. Then I would owe him…again._

"You don't have to do me any favors. I can just buy a couple of slices. That would be more suited anyways."

"I'm not doing you any favors believe me. We have sold four loaves all week. You would be helping me out just to get it off of my hands."

I hesitated, unsure of exactly what I wanted to do. Then my stomach growled, and spoke for me.

"Ok, I'll take it. Thank you so much."

"Like I said, you're doing me a favor. So thank _you_ so much." He laughed little to himself and wrapped up my loaf of bread. I handed him my money, thanked him once more, and headed home with a beautiful loaf of bread and money still in my pocket.

When I entered the house, Gale was cooking something for lunch. It smelled like some kind of broth.

"Hi. I have a surprise for you."

I moved to the stove, noticing that it was in fact some sort of broth with plant roots in it. It smelled delicious. Gale turned to face me, but didn't look nearly as excited as I was feeling. I removed the wrapping from the bread and smiled hugely. I could not wait to begin eating. It would go divinely with the broth.

"We can't afford that," he said deadpan.

"Yes we can. I bagged a squirrel _and _a deer today. Sae said that she would give me money for it tomorrow and save us some of the cuts. The money I used was from the squirrel. Oh, and I even have some left over." I placed the coins on the counter, beaming with delight, but he was…well, the opposite of beaming.

"I'm sure it will be good." He turned back to the stove to stir the broth.

"Why aren't you excited? This is huge. I bagged a _deer_ today."

"Katniss, I get it. But, you shouldn't have bought that."

"Why not? We have the money." I truly was confused. Did he not hear me say that I bagged a deer—something that neither of us had done in a good, solid two years. This was a big day.

"We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. We could need that money in the future. You should have bought something more practical or brought it home for savings."

"Gale, this is practical. We will be able to eat on this for a week or more. I could have bought sweet buns." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. I had had such a good morning.

"No, that's still not practical. You don't get it. You _should_ have bought things to _make _bread, not buy it. It's four times as expensive to buy it already made. We need to be saving money, not spending it on frivolous items. I don't make a lot in the mines."

His voice was getting louder with every sentence. I could tell that he was getting angry, but it was only making me want to get just as angry back. None of this made sense.

"Sure, I could have bought the ingredients for bread, even though neither of us knows how to make it. That's _totally_ practical."

"Well, maybe you should learn." He turned back to the stove, as if he were dismissing the issue. It made me want to fly into a fit of rage.

"Maybe _you_ should learn," I fired back. I was not going to be treated as if the only thing I could do from now on was be a housewife. _I was afraid of this._

"_When_, Katniss? When do you expect me to learn to make bread?" He spun around, closing the space between myself and him, anger exuberating from every part of his body. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. "I have no time in between my shifts at the mines, making sure that we have everything that we need, and on top of that making sure that my family _and _your family have everything they need. So when, when in the world do I have time to make bread?"

I took a step towards him, letting him know that I was not ok with how this situation was being handled.

"So you think that just because you got hired on in the mines that you are the only one who does anything around here? During the day I help your mother, I help my mother, I clean our house, I hunt, and I even help you out when you get home! Just because I am considered your wife does not mean that I will stay home and cook and clean for the rest of my life. That's **not** how this is going to work, Gale."

"This is ridiculous. I am not going to fight with you about this. I am not going to do everything around here just because you **refuse** to do housework."

"What? I do not refuse to do housework! I just don't allow it to consume my life. Sorry if that's too non-traditional for you."

Gale scoffed, his nostrils flaring unsettlingly. He looked like he had so much more to say, but was holding back. He exhaled sharply and stomped out of the house, slamming our little door behind him.

_This is ridiculous!_ _What a stupid fight._

Unsure of anything else to do, I made myself a bowl of broth and cut a slice of bread. Even though I felt like I was right, the bread still did not taste as good as it should have. Nothing like a nice twinge of unexpected guilt with your lunch. I sighed and ate my broth in silence, waiting for him to come home so we could talk this out as always.

**Alright, chapter three. :) What does everyone think? Review and let me know. Thanks for reading.**


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